Blog 1

Ogbu, U. J. (1999) Beyond Language: Ebonics, Proper English, and Identity in a Black-   American Speech Community. American Education Research Journal 36, (2) 147-184.

△ This Article is based on a 2 year ethnographic study of an African American speech community in Lafayette Oakland, California.

△ The audience intended for this article is educators and researchers with the purpose to inform.

△ Ogbu wishes to investigate why African American children do not do as well as white and other minority children due to dialect differences between standard English of the public school and the children’s home dialect or Ebonics.

△ According to Ogbu, “It is not only the degree of differences in dialects per se that counts. What also seems to count is the cultural meanings of those dialect differences. (p. 148).

△ Ogbu argues that sociolinguists in their studies have not examined the historical, societal, and cultural factors outside school that shape the social perceptions and interpretations of students and teachers observed in the classroom.

△ Ogbu calls the focus of his study a type five which he describes as a speech community with both diglossia and bilingualism but the frames of reference of the two languages or two dialects are oppositional. Ogbu is claiming that the African American speech community of Lafayette Oakland is unwilling or apathetic to learning standard English because of the effect it will have on their language community.

△ The author talks about voluntary and involuntary minorities who consider standard English as being a white language. The voluntary minorities he claims have a collective identity that is not oppositional to standard English and they look at it as learning a new dialect. Whereas involuntary minoritie’s (African American students of Lafayette) collective identity is in opposition to standard English and feel they would have to give up their home dialect to learn it.

△ Lafayette people refer to their dialect as ‘slang English’ and standard English as ‘proper English.”

△ The author talks about the misunderstanding of the two languages. The slang English may sound harsh or rude to proper English speakers and the latter may sound too formal and not the type of language that is used in everyday speech.

 

△ Lafayette people believe that slang English is their mother tongue and they grew up leaning that language.  They also think that what they call proper English is also white peoples mother tongue and that they grew up with that language.

△ Lafayette parents cannot and do not teach their children proper English at home. They also admonish their children when they do use it in the community. In other words, using proper English in the community is frowned upon. “Lafayette people are opposed to talking proper in the community because the speaker is suspected of thinking like White people the he or she is superior to or better than other Blacks” (p. 170).

• How might you summarize the article in a few sentences? The African American children of Lafayette do not do as well as white and other minority children due to dialect differences between standard English of the public school and the children’s home dialect or Ebonics.

The African American parents and students have misconceptions about standard English being the mother tongue of white people and that it is another dialect of English that needs to be learned for students to have educational and occupational success. The students and parents of Lafayette feel that standard English is the dialect of their oppressors and they are reluctant to learn it in fear of losing their home dialect/mother tongue. This explains why African American students are not having the same success in school as other minorities. The main purpose of Ogbu’s article is to inform educators of this problem so they can begin to come up with programs to communicate to involuntary minorities and their parents about these incompatible beliefs and enable them to acquire standard English.   

Ogbu, U. J. & Simmons, D. H. (1998) Voluntary and Involuntary Minorities: A Cultural-  Ecology Theory of School Performance with some Implications for Education.             Anthropology & Education Quarterly 29, (2) 155-188.

△ This article is based on Ogbu’s cultural-ecological theory of voluntary vs. involuntary minorities school performance based on their beliefs and behaviors. The article focuses on pedagogy in the last several pages.

△ Voluntary vs. Involuntary minorities.

△Voluntary minorities = Immigrant minorities that have moved to the United States of their own free will looking for better opportunities. Voluntary minorities may have trouble adjusting to American schools, but do not experience these difficulties long term.

△ Involuntary minorities = Minorities that have been conquered, colonized or enslaved. They are not necessarily in America of their own free will. These minorities feel as though they are forced to assimilate into the United States. Some involuntary minorities are usually less economically successful as voluntary minorities and could experience more cultural and language difficulties. This group may not perform as well in school.

△ According to Ogbu & Simmons, “Ogbu’s research suggests that some beliefs and behaviors apply to enough members of a minority group or a type of minority group to form a visible pattern. Not all members of a minority group believe the same thing or behave the same way” (p. 168). So the authors are looking at a pattern of beliefs of the involuntary minority group.

△ The authors talk about how some Mexican immigrants have been able to pass into white society through intermarriage whereas this is more difficult for African Americans because physical features would prevent it.

△ Status Frame of Reference:

Voluntary minorities have a positive frame of reference because they see more opportunities for success in the United States as opposed to their home countries. Ogbu argues that voluntary minorities are more willing to accept not being treated equally for possible economic success.

Involuntary minorities have a negative frame of reference compared to voluntary minorities. They see themselves as having a lower social and economic status than middle-class white Americans. Involuntary minorities do not see America as a land of opportunity like voluntary minorities. Involuntary minorities also have a negative impression of their schools and relate their inferior education to discrimination. This in turn leads them to not trust their curriculum and teachers.

△ Instrumental Responses (relates to folk theory or beliefs):

Voluntary minorities believe that they can be successful through hard work, a good education and following the rules.

Involuntary minorities believe job and wage discrimination is institutionalized. They believe that hard work and good education is important, but not enough to overcome racism and discrimination. The students may also adopt these beliefs from their parents and from what they have seen through other members of the involuntary minorities experiences.

△ Voluntary minorities trust white institutions where as involuntary minorities due not due to a long history of discrimination, racism and conflict.

△ Voluntary minorities do not see learning standard English as a treat to their collective identity whereas involuntary minorities do. As we have seen in the earlier article voluntary minorities think of learning standard English as learning a new dialect that does not take away from their home dialect. Involuntary minorities on the other hand feel their home dialects are in opposition to standard English and a treat to their collective identity.  

△ Voluntary minorities have a positive attitude about school and the students are encouraged by their parents to do well. If the student does not do well the parents blame their children rather than the institution. Involuntary minority students get mixed messages from their parents about the importance of education. And when their children don’t do well the parents blame the institution rather than their children.

△ The theory is not a pedagogy, but a way to inform educators about the differences between voluntary and involuntary minorities in regards to success in school.

△The theory will give educators an understanding why involuntary minorities perform and act the way they do both inside and outside of the classroom.

△ Teachers can build trust with their involuntary minority students by showing them that they believe in them academically. Educators need to be culturally sensitive and realize that involuntary minority students feel learning standard English is a treat to their collective identity. Teachers can also show their students that there is a time and place for both dialects of English. The hope is that involuntary minorities will begin to trust their teachers and start seeming them as an ally rather than an enemy. Teachers can also make positive contacts with parents about what their children are doing well rather than just when they are failing. And I guess most importantly educators need to understand that involuntary minorities feel both parental/peer pressure in regards to learning standard English.

• How might you summarize the article in a few sentences? There is a difference between voluntary and involuntary minorities in regards to their beliefs/behaviors about education and it influences their success. The authors claim voluntary minorities see more opportunities for success in the United States than in their home countries and are willing to accept not being treated equally for possible economic success. On the other hand, involuntary minorities see themselves as having a lower social and economic status than middle-class white Americans. Involuntary minorities feel their home dialects are in opposition to standard English and a treat to their collective identity. Teachers can help involuntary minorities adjust and do better in school by creating trust, being culturally sensitive and communicating with parents.